


On The Edge of a Cliff

by Streetlamp_Sunset



Series: Edge of a Cliff [2]
Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Alexis Rose is a total Girlboss, Alexis and Ted, Alexis the Author, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Constellations, F/M, Falling In Love, Introspection, Personal Growth, Self-Discovery, in every universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25104700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Streetlamp_Sunset/pseuds/Streetlamp_Sunset
Summary: “You’re David’s sister,” his eyes sparked with recognition. Alexis felt a smile bloom on her face. It had been a while since someone recognized her as Alexis, David’s sister, and not A.C. Rose, best selling author.“Yeah, I suppose I am,” she said, fiddling with the ends of her hair.“Ted,” he offered his hand with a wide smile.“Um, Alexis,” she replied, slipping her hand into his. You could tell a lot about a person by their hands. Ted's fingers were callused from hard work, but the rest was soft, well hydrated. His palm was warm, despite the chill in the air. His grip was steady and firm, but not tight. He felt honest.Based off Inside Schitt's Creek: Alexis the Author
Relationships: Patrick Brewer & Alexis Rose, Patrick Brewer/David Rose, Theodore "Ted" Mullens/Alexis Rose
Series: Edge of a Cliff [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2022298
Comments: 5
Kudos: 58





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I watched Inside Schitt's Creek: Alexis the Author and was inspired. https://youtu.be/wjpcz7-UqEc?t=25 
> 
> None of the images belong to me.

Alexis tugged the sleeves of her sweater over her hands and walked out onto the blustery cliff. She watched the fog roll over the water, cradling her favorite mug of coffee between her palms as she took in the morning. 

“Hello,” she said softly, watching a pair of sparrows flit between the small branches which rose from the grass. When she’d first arrived in Nova Scotia, the mornings had unsettled her. She was used to the constant cacophony of the city and now she was miles away from her nearest neighbor. 

Alexis had learned to love the mornings here, watching the first rays of sun filter over the water. The sounds came too, not the ones she was used to, certainly, but those that brought a calm tranquility she hadn't known. The waves crashed endlessly along the bluffs. Birds called from nearby trees. Their leaves rustled differently depending on the season. Alexis spent a lot of time sitting out on the hillside, notebook in her lap. The words flowed from her there, easier than they had in the city.

The Phur is Murder series had done well. She was proud of it; no one had expected her to build an empire of her own. Yet, there came a point in time that she felt stifled by her own success. She’d tried to write the conclusion a million different ways, but she just couldn't put together something she was happy with. The pressure had burrowed under her skin, draining her motivation further.

“Oh my gosh, that is A.C. Rose,” a doughy, middle aged woman had whispered conspiratorially to her husband in the bulk section of the grocery store. “She is the author of Phur is Murder.” Alexis ducked her head, turning away. She was just trying to fill a jar of lentils. 

“A.C,” a tall, young man called, hearing the woman, “when are you coming out with your next book in the series?” Their faces were kind enough, but Alexis fell a little bit like they were dragging her beneath the water.

“Please,” Alexis said, voice sounding high to her own ears, “this is difficult work, I can’t just keep pumping out book after book after book after book after book.” Alexis took a shuddering breath. “It’s difficult,” she finished lamely. She had abandoned her cart in the isle, planning to do her shopping some other time. Alexis moved to a beautiful little windblown house in Nova Scotia instead.

* * *

“Hey, Lex,” Patrick said, moving around the corner to envelop her in a hug. 

“Hi, Button,” Alexis melted into his embrace. Patrick gave what were quite possibly the best hugs of anyone she'd ever known. He had been her friend first, before David grew nauseatingly enamored with him on a visit, a fact which she would hold over her brother's head until the end of time. 

“How have you been?” Patrick asked, moving away to restock their candle display. Alexis shrugged. The thing about the blissful seclusion of the bluffs was that she spent most of her time alone.

"The novel's coming along," she said instead. Patrick hummed in acknowledgment, allowing her the avoidance. The bell rang above the door, an influx of customers enabling her to move along. Alexis looked over their produce selection, adding a few root vegetables to her basket. 

"David and I are hosting a game night this Friday,” Patrick said, placing a hand on her elbow as he passed. “Will you come?” Damn Patrick and his wide, earnest eyes.

“Yeah, of course,” Alexis said, aiming for levity. It came out a lot softer than she meant. He squeezed her arm lightly, moving to step behind the cash. 

“Um, hi,” a vice said from behind her. Alexis turned to find a blond man in a woolen cream and gray sweater. He was handsome in the rugged, sturdy way a fisherman or a logger might be. He certainly had the shoulders for it. 

“I just feel like I have to warn you, David and Patrick are really nice guys,” the man said, “but their game nights can get a little intense.” He made an exaggeration motion with his hands, face mimicking the movement. He had really passionate facial expressions, and her reference for this kind of thing stemmed from a lifetime of watching her mother and David.

“Mmm, you don’t say?” Alexis asked with a private smile. She knew all too well how wildly competitive her brother and his husband got.

“Oh, yeah,” he nodded enthusiastically. “We’re all pretty competitive. David, especially.” 

“Imagine growing up with him,” Alexis laughed as she recalled some of the more disastrous attempts the nannies had made at entertaining them as children. “We had to institute a house wide ban on Monopoly.” 

“You’re David’s sister,” his eyes sparked with recognition. Alexis felt a smile bloom on her face. It had been a while since someone recognized her as Alexis, David’s sister, and not A.C. Rose, best selling author.

“Yeah, I suppose I am,” she said, fiddling with the ends of her hair.

“Ted,” he offered his hand with a wide smile. 

“Um, Alexis,” she replied, slipping her hand into his. You could tell a lot about a person by their hands. Ted's fingers were callused from hard work, but the rest was soft, well hydrated. His palm was warm, despite the chill in the air. His grip was steady and firm, but not tight. He felt honest.

“I know,” Ted said. He gently released her and stepped back to give her space. “Without sounding too forward, I’ve seen you around and you know, I have to say, I think that you are the most beautiful girl this town’s ever seen.”

“What? No,” Alexis said, warmth curling in her chest. It had been a while since she welcomed attention, especially from a man. It was an unexpected relief to feel that part of her coaxed out of hiding. “I'm sure there's like another girl … somewhere.”

“No, I mean it,” Ted said, unabashed and grinning. 

“Yeah,” Alexis felt a little overwhelmed in the face of his sincerity. “Well, it's really nice of you to say.” 

“I hope I’ll see you around, it was nice meeting you, Alexis,” Ted gave her a little wave, before stepping out of the Apothecary into the midday sun. 

“Yeah,” Alexis breathed, “You too.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where I'm going with this or if it'll just be a one shot. I broke my own rule and started writing without an outline. I'm thinking maybe more of a slice of life series of one shots rather than a continuous plot line?? Feel free to let me know what you think or what you would want to see.  
> Thank you so so much for reading!!  
> ❤️ Sunset


	2. Chapter 2

There was only so much of David’s restless, micromanaging and Patrick’s frenzied, competitive energy she could take. Alexis shot Twy an apologetic look as she took the bottle of pinot noir they had been working on and ducked out the patio door. 

There was a string on edison bulbs draped along the wooden beams of the pergola. Alexis walked barefoot over the flagstone, settling on the grass just out of their golden glow. The ground was still wet with evening dew. She took a swig of wine as she looked over the bluffs, the water an endless stretch of deep blue in the moonlight. 

“Mind if I sit?” Ted asked, his worn leather boots shuffling in the corner of her eye.

“The grass is wet,” Alexis tipped her head back to look up at him. He had the oversized throw from the loveseat wrapped around his shoulders. “Oh my god, Ted, that’s an indoor blanket,” Alexis grinned, “David’s going to be so mad.” 

Ted shrugged, “you looked cold.” He sat cross legged next to her, holding up the corner. Alexis shifted closer, tucking her knees to her chest so only the tips of her toes stuck out of the soft cocoon. The wine lay balanced against her shin. “Are you okay?”

Alexis hummed noncommittally, “it was just getting to be a lot in there.” 

Ted lifted his arm, an offering. Alexis leaned in. He didn’t lay his arm on her shoulders the way literally every other man she had ever dated had. She usually wound up with her spine contorted painfully, a slow ache building as she tried to accommodate the position. 

Ted’s arm wrapped around her back, hand settling on the neutral territory at the bend of her waist. Alexis relaxed, sinking against his chest. 

“Yeah, I get that,” his voice was a low rumble beneath her cheek. He sounded like he meant it.

Alexis slid a hand from their blanket to wrap around the neck of the wine. She tipped back the bottle; it was more empty than she had thought.

“Want some?” she asked, waving it in his direction. 

“It’s all yours,” he said, “I’m driving Twyla and Stevie home.”

“That’s sweet of you,” Alexis finished the wine in one long swallow and lay the bottle in the grass. It rolled in lazy circles through the sound of night on the bluffs - crickets and cicadas calling, the crash of waves. The tapered end landed pointed towards them. Alexis let out a muffled laugh into the cuff of her sweater. 

“Hmm?” Ted asked.

“It’s nothing,” she gestured to the wine with an overturned wrist, “um, it reminded me of spin the bottle.”

“Oh.”

“You could kiss me,” Alexis found herself offering. The thought buzzed warm with anticipation beneath her skin. She wanted to know what it felt like to be kissed by this sweet, gentle man who had shown her nothing but a quiet, kind strength, “um, if you wanted.”

“Next time,” Ted said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Alexis met his soft smile with one of her own. His mouth quirked, playful, “David always says six is ideal for gameplay. I wouldn't want to kiss you under less than ideal circumstances.”

“M’kay,” Alexis said, “I need you to literally never mention kissing and my brother in the same sentence. I don’t even want to imagine playing spin the bottle with David in the circle, ew, Ted.”

“Sorry,” Ted laughed, loud and uncontained, his whole body shook around her. Alexis bubbled up with joy, like his happiness had spilled over and flooded her with it. She smiled, leaning back against his chest to look at the stars. The big dipper was right over them; she trailed her gaze over its distinct swoop. 

“I can never find it,” Alexis said, gesturing towards the sky, “the little dipper. Like, I know how, theoretically, but I’ve never actually seen it.” 

“Oh,” Ted said, stretching and climbing to his feet, “here, I’ll show you.” He offered her a hand up. Alexis wrapped her fingers around his wrist and let him pull her upright, steadying herself with a hand on his arm. He had hidden surprisingly defined muscles under all those soft woolen sweaters.

“Mmm, okay,” Alexis said, “show me then.” 

Ted stepped away, tipping his head back to point out the pair of stars that led to Polaris. He drew a line across the sky to the little dipper’s handle. 

“It’s right there,” he said, “you just have to know how to look.” Ted grinned, “this is the fun part.” He turned in place, gaze still trained on the sky, until the stars shifted and the little dipper was rightside up.

“And that works for you?” Alexis asked skeptically. Ted looked at her, eyes still wide with awe - for the stars, probably. 

“Trust me,” he said. Inexplicably, she did. 

Alexis drew her gaze up to the bowl of the big dipper, mapping the line of the constellation. She let her head fall back as she turned, the motion swooping pleasantly through her. And there it was, the little dipper. 

“Ted,” Alexis laughed, letting her arms fall to the sides. She whirled, wine drunk and hopeful, watching the pinpricks of light trailing through the sky, “it’s actually there.” 

Her skirt fluttered in the wind, brushing against her thighs. She was reminded of so many festivals where she had twirled this way, the world streaking by as she spun. Alexis faltered as gravity caught up to her. She tilted toward the ground, laughing. 

Ted caught her, one hand on her waist, an arm wrapped around her back. Her head hung upside down, the tips of her toes curled into the grass.

“Thank you,” Alexis said as Ted tucked her against his chest. She closed her eyes, resting her ear over his heart until the blood stopped rushing in her ears.

“Anytime,” Ted’s palm ran over her arm in slow caresses. 

When Alexis pulled away, his eyes shone in the light of the edison bulbs. She wondered where they would lead if she followed them, if two stars was enough for a constellation. 

Ted drove her home, Twy and Stevie curled up together in the back seat, David and Patrick’s blanket wrapped around her.

“I’m glad you came tonight,” Ted said as he walked her to her front door. 

“I’m glad I did too,” Alexis hovered with her fingers on the handle, “this was fun.”

Ted took a breath like he wanted to say something, eyes darting to her lips. He held out his hand. She smiled as he curled his fingers around hers. 

Ted leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her cheek, “sleep well.”

Her breath caught in her throat. He smoothed his thumb over her knuckles before letting go. _Next time._

“Ted,” Alexis called as he made his way down the path. He paused, turned. “Good night.”

Ted smiled, “good night, Alexis.”

Alexis settled on her bed with her laptop in a glass of water. She opened a new document, ignoring the half formed drabbles she’d put together for the conclusion of Phur is Murder.

She wondered if four stars was enough for a constellation. She had a feeling Ted would be willing to help her find out.

Alexis wrote. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very, very much for reading!!  
> ❤️ Sunset


End file.
